Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters he is not impartial in the upcoming Senate trial weighing impeachment articles against President Trump, which he said is a “political process.”
“I’m not impartial about this at all,” McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, said.
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Democrats have criticized McConnell for revealing he’ll work closely with Trump’s lawyers in determining how the Senate will weigh two articles of impeachment against him.
House Democrats Wednesday plan to pass articles impeaching Trump for obstruction of Congress and abuse of power.
Some Democrats have called for McConnell to recuse himself for coordinating with Trump.
But McConnell said impeachment is a political exercise that does not require him to remain neutral.
“I’m not an impartial juror,” McConnell said. “This is a political process. There’s nothing judicial about it. Impeachment is a political decision. The House made a partisan, political decision to impeach. I would anticipate we will have a largely partisan outcome in the Senate.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer slammed McConnell’s declaration.
“Do the American people want Mitch McConnell not to be an impartial juror in this situation?” Schumer said. “And I would ask all of my Senate Republican colleagues, are you impartial jurors?”
Schumer, a New York Democrat, claimed he is impartial, despite his nearly daily criticism of the president and his support of the allegations against him.
“I am withholding any final decision until we hear all evidence,” Schumer said.
[Related: McConnell wants quick impeachment dismissal vote: ‘We’ve heard enough’]
